Anant Singh Clarifies Controversial Statement About Sacrifice of Nine
Bihar MLA Anant Singh addresses backlash over his statement regarding nine deaths linked to his support for Nitish Kumar. Anant Singh Clarifies Controversial Statement About Sacrifice of Nine
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Fire department inspects over 50 Puja pandals, warns of action over safety lapses
3D pandal, special rituals await devotees at Mahavir Mandir
Anant sparks row with claim on nine killings, retracts statement
NU, Paraguay varsity sign pact for academic exchange
Govt to set up 100 Fresh Catch kiosks for fish sales
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Patna Teachers seat sees a high-stakes triangular contest
Festive airfares shoot through the roof, with some domestic tickets touching 35,000
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Rs 10 lakh aid reaches minor bonded labour survivor
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The Elephant Ownership Exception: A History of Protection and Possession
In 1963, private forest owners in Malabar challenged provisions of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961 (Act IV of 1962). The question before the Court was whether the State could deprive forest owners of their existing right to capture and own elephants found on their land. In Kuppathode Madhavan Nair v State of Kerala (1963), the Kerala High Court sided with the owners. Applying common-law principles inherited from the colonial period, it held that ownership of land conferred a qualified right over wild animals found there ( ratione soli ), including the right to capture them and claim them as private property. Within a decade, the Indian Parliament would enact a national conservation law and the Constitution would soon expressly recognise duties towards forests, wildlife ( Article 48A ) and living creatures ( Article 51A(g) ). Even though the elephants legal status would change profoundly as both a Schedule I animal in law and a National Heritage Animal, a symbol of the country itself, the owners place in her life would prove much harder to dislodge. Elephants, forests and capture The Malabar litigation belonged to a much longer history in which protecting elephants and putting them to work were closely connected. In Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History (2015), Thomas R. Trautmann, a historian and anthropologist, explains how the military value of elephants gave Indian rulers an interest in preserving wild populations and the forests that sustained them, even as they continued to capture individual animals. Academic Natasha Nongbris 2003 study of nineteenth-century Northeast India shows how colonial authorities regulated capture of elephants through licences, leased grounds and royalties. The forest was not simply a place where elephants lived. It was also the source of successive generations taken into captivity. Preserving wild elephant populations and capturing individual animals became part of the same policy which gave birth to the Elephant Preservation Act, 1879, a national law modelled on the regional Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873. It was arguably the first national law on Elephants in British India enacted with the ostensive realisation that a live elephant was more valuable than dead. The policy as preservation, not conservation, was instrumentalised to preserve the source the elephant in the forest, to allow for its simultaneous extraction from it to feed the rising demand for captive elephants. Among the important establishments in this system were Dacca, now Dhaka, and Mysore , both associated with khedda operations in which wild elephants were driven into stockades and subdued with the help of trained elephants. The Dacca establishment drew upon the Garo Hills and other northeastern forests, while the Mysore operations captured elephants from the forests of southern India. These regional systems of capture existed alongside wider networks of trade. The Sonpur fair in Bihar , already an important elephant market in the nineteenth century, connected elephants captured in the Northeast with buyers from elsewhere in India. Against this background of an extensive elephant trade, the forest-owning timber merchants in Kuppathode Madhavan Nair asserted their right to capture elephants and put them to work within a legal order that still accepted their removal into human service. The shift in constitutional law The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 introduced a national framework for conservation, prohibiting the hunting of the most protected species. Yet the elephants initial classification revealed how much of the older world remained. She appeared in Schedule II, Part I as special game, whose hunting which included capture could be licensed, while Section 2(6) included domestic elephants, curiously for a wildlife law, in its definition of cattle. The changes of the next five years gave the law a different direction. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 , passed during the Emergency, is remembered for weakening fundamental rights and curbing the powers of the courts. Yet it left a curious and enduring legacy in the protection of the environment and animals. Even during the darkest period of Indira Gandhis leadership, her concern for the natural world found expression in the Constitution. The amendment inserted Article 48A, directing the State to protect the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife, and Article 51A(g), making it the duty of every citizen to protect the natural environment and to have compassion for living creatures. These duties gave constitutional weight to the responsibilities we owe to the non-human world. In October 1977, months after these provisions took effect, the elephant was elevated to Schedule I , bringing her capture within the highest level of statutory protection. In 1986, amid growing concern over the killing of elephants for their tusks, Parliament prohibited domestic trade in Indian elephant ivory. In 1991, following stronger international restrictions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna, it extended the prohibition to imported ivory, which traders had been using as a cover for selling ivory from poached Indian elephants . That year, Parliament also removed the Acts definition of cattle, which had included domestic elephants. It introduced livestock in its place, expressly excluding protected wild animals. Yet these changes did not bring private ownership of elephants to an end. Under Sections 4042, people in lawful possession of elephants could declare them to the authorities and obtain certificates recognising their ownership after an inquiry. Even as the law strengthened protection for elephants and restricted the trade in their ivory, it continued to recognise that a living elephant could remain someones property. The 2002 amendment: live elephant ownership exception and the prohibition on sale A 2002 amendment to the Act (which became effective from 2003) tightened restrictions on private ownership of protected captive animals. However, it expressly exempted live elephants. Although the newly introduced Section 43 prohibited transfers for any commercial consideration, a person could still acquire an elephant and pass her to another owner with the necessary permissions. This left an opening for sales disguised as gifts. In the years that followed, animal protection organisations documented how this distinction enabled trade to continue. At the Sonpur Mela in Bihar, where elephants had long been bought and sold, transactions were now presented as gifts. Researchers even recorded owners carrying blank gift deeds to transfer possession. These practices formed part of the challenge brought to the Supreme Court in 2014 by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) and others in W.P.(C) No. 743 of 2014. Still pending twelve years later, the WRRC case has become a central proceeding through which the Court supervises the treatment and regulation of captive elephants. Although the Court imposed no blanket prohibition, the continuing proceedings, notices to forest departments in every State with captive elephants, and numerous interim orders largely halted the trade. These included a nationwide census and checks on ownership certificates , welfare inspections at tourist resorts in Goa , and an order blocking Keralas attempt to regularise 289 elephants held without ownership certificates and restraining their transfer. The Courts scrutiny of ownership papers and transfers had made the trade harder to carry on. A 2021 case in Guwahati High Court confirmed the concerns raised by WRRC before the Supreme Court in 2014. In April 2021, forest officials at Doomdooma in Assams Tinsukia district intercepted two elephants travelling from Arunachal Pradesh to Odisha, ostensibly for religious purposes. Their investigation went beyond the ownership certificates and transport permissions. In a recorded statement, the claimed owner described bank payments of 9 lakh and 17 lakh from an intermediary who had also arranged the documents. He could not identify the receiving religious institution. In State of Assam v. Sri Chow Sonjit Pomong (2021), the Gauhati High Court found prima facie evidence of a commercial sale and set aside the order releasing the elephants to the claimed owner while the investigation continued. The elephants were reported to be in the Forest Departments custody at Kaziranga National Park. The 2022 amendment: religious and other purposes In December 2021, the Central Government introduced the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 , which went considerably further than the amendment eventually enacted. It proposed exempting transfers of live elephants by ownership certificate holders from Section 43 altogether, subject to government permission and prescribed conditions. This would have removed the prohibition on commercial transfers for those elephants, allowing them to be openly bought and sold again. The pressure for change came particularly from Kerala, where temple authorities and private elephant owners associations were seeking easier acquisition and interstate transfer of elephants. In my view, the elephant provision in the 2022 amendment must be understood as an attempt to loosen the practical restraints that the Supreme Courts scrutiny in the WRRC case had helped impose. Following objections from conservation and animal protection organisations, the Parliamentary Standing Committee chaired by Jairam Ramesh recommended deleting this proposal. In April 2022, it suggested a narrower provision allowing transfers of existing captive elephants for religious institutions, with additional safeguards. The version Parliament ultimately enacted extended this to transfers for a religious or any other purpose , subject to conditions prescribed by the Central Government. The prohibition on commercial consideration remained. Non-commercial transfers were already possible under the elephant exception introduced in 2002. An amendment was therefore unnecessary merely to allow an elephant to pass from one private owner to another as a gift. In this respect, the new provision largely reaffirmed the existing position, while creating a specific framework for central rules governing transfers . Its practical significance lay in giving renewed statutory backing to transfers at a time when litigation and enforcement had made them increasingly difficult. The words any other purpose were particularly troubling because they offered no meaningful limit of their own. For those of us who had worked to curb the use of elephants for begging, entertainment, circuses and timber logging, the concern was that this broad wording could encourage attempts to revive practices we had spent years challenging. The safeguards governing these transfers consequently became crucial. On March 14, 2024, fifteen months after the amendment, the government notified the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules (2024 Rules). These attempted to place meaningful safeguards around a difficult accommodation. By limiting transfers to elephants whose ownership certificates predated the Rules and to their offspring, and by requiring registration of genetic profiles, they offered a means of confining transfers to an identifiable population already lawfully in captivity. Read together, these provisions seek to break the logic of the khedda , in which the forest continually supplied elephants for human use. Putting this into practice is a demanding exercise. The State must build a reliable genetic record of the captive population, then verify each claimed captive birth through a DNA match with the mother and records establishing that she was lawfully held. Each new addition must be traceable to this legally recognised population, closing off the forest as a continuing source of captive elephants. Yet the government was still struggling to identify the population it sought to regulate. In August 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change placed the proceedings of the Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (formed under Project Elephant) for the month of February before the Supreme Court in the WRRC case . These recorded that the profiling exercise remained incomplete and that, among 2,075 samples analysed, 40.5 per cent of elephants had unknown origins and 25.4 per cent were documented as wild-caught. Nearly two-thirds therefore fell into these two categories. The continuing exception These concerns have become urgent with the September 2026 movement of five young elephants from Assam to Tamil Nadu temples: Durga, Rupsing, Shiva, Hiralal and Bijuli. More than fifty organisations have sought an independent investigation into their origins, ownership documents and the possibility of sales disguised as gifts. The pace of the transfers shows how readily decisions that will shape decades of an elephants life can be made while fundamental questions remain publicly unanswered. In my account of Durgas transfer , the sequence from the request for a health certificate to her departure from Manas took three days. Her ownership certificate was issued in October 2025, after the 2024 Rules came into effect, so her transfer depended on a claimed captive birth to a mother covered by them, yet her mothers identity and lawful captive status remained publicly unverified. A five-year-old elephant is not a remnant of pre-conservation law; she is another generation entering a system that can determine almost her entire future. These journeys follow years of large transfers from the Northeast to Vantara in Jamnagar, where reporting in 2024 documented convoys coming in from Arunachal Pradesh and the private wildlife facility hosting more than 200 elephants. Vantara describes its work as rescue and rehabilitation, and in September 2025 the Supreme Court accepted an investigation reporting no legal violations. Its transfers and those to temples have different stated purposes, but their scale raises a very important question: how should a constitutional commitment to wildlife, and to compassion for living creatures, govern the continuing movement and concentration of elephants in human institutions? Elephants leaving the Northeast in convoys is not very dissimilar from the old geography of the khedda , when the forests of the Garo Hills supplied elephants to distant establishments and markets. Trautmann and Nongbri show that the forest sustained a system in which wild populations were protected in part because they supplied animals for capture. The question is whether the modern ownership regime has truly broken that relationship. In his Study on Illegal Sale and Transfer of Live Elephants from Assam , Chaturbhuja Behera, then a regional official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, described illegal sales and transfers, accounts of wild calves being captured, and weaknesses in records used to establish captive birth. Findings such as this make it difficult to treat an ownership certificate, by itself, as an answer to where a young elephant came from. The 2024 Rules thus return us to the contradiction the law has carried since 1972. Once again, the government is trying to make its core commitment to protection coexist with private ownership, a relationship that subordinates an elephants life to the purposes of her owner. The safeguards are necessary, but they cannot resolve that contradiction while the exception is effectively allowing institutions to replenish their captive populations for generations to come. The demand for young elephants must be supplied from somewhere. The historical answer is in front of us: it is the forest. The forest is the breeding ground from which elephants have long been taken to replenish captivity. The exception leaves open the route by which demand for elephants in captivity can be met through illegal capture in the wild, disguised as captive-born. More than sixty years after the Malabar owners defended their right to capture elephants for timber in Kerala High Court, the law is yet to confront the continuity between that older system and the present one.
Scholar, MLA's Cousin, Shot Dead In Madhepura
A 25-year-old PhD scholar and cousin of RJD MLA Chandrashekhar Yadav was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in Madhepura, Bihar, on Friday. Police are investigating the incident, which the MLA claims occurred during a mobile snatching attempt.
On October 17, most schools across India are expected to function on normal schedules. However, local holidays or weather-related disruptions may lead to unforeseen closures. Parents should verify school announcements through official channels for any changes. While states like Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh plan to remain open, Bihar has a scheduled holiday for Durga Puja. Therefore, families should remain informed about local decisions impacting school attendance.
Twist in Bihar cop's death as home guard's bullet killed him
An excise constable in Bihar's Nalanda district, initially believed to have been shot dead by liquor smugglers, was actually killed by a bullet fired from a home guard jawan's rifle during a chase. An investigation revealed discrepancies and alleged attempts to conceal evidence, leading to the arrest of a sub-inspector and other personnel.
Kainchi Dham theme adds spiritual touch to Mithapur Durga Puja pandal
Overbridge work adds to traffic worries
Bhagalpur records over 70 legal adoptions
Why Brahma Baba Is Invoked in Bihar's Jhijhiya Dance, Guardian Deity Explained
Controversy Erupts as JDU Legislator Backs Rival Candidate in Bihar Elections
Political tensions rise in Bihar as JDUs Anant Singh backs a rival candidate, prompting responses from party leaders. Controversy Erupts as JDU Legislator Backs Rival Candidate in Bihar Elections
Bihar Board Exam 2027: Form Submission Reopens Till October 31 With Late Fee
Bihar Board Exam 2027 forms are open again for Class 10 and 12 students until October 31 with a late fee. Check dates, portals and submission details.
Banke Bihari Temple new rules: Why throwing pedas and flowers is banned now
The Banke Bihari Temple management committee in Vrindavan has banned devotees from throwing pedas, flower garlands and tulsi malas at the deity. The decision aims to improve hygiene and prevent sacred offerings from being trampled. The committee has also discussed central AC installation, an inquiry into ceremonial gold and silver items, better sanitation and stricter food safety checks.
Bihar Board Exam Form 2027 Last Date Extended to 31 October for Matric and Inter
Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has reportedly extended the examination form submission deadline for the Matric (Class 10) and Intermediate (Class 12) Annual Examinations 2027. Eligible students who missed the earlier 15 October deadline can have their forms submitted through their respective school or college heads from 16 to 31 October 2026 with a late fee. Students should contact their institutions to complete the process.
ABVMU Result 2026 Out - Direct Link to Check Scorecard Online @ abvmuup.edu.in
ABVMU Result 2026 through the student login link of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University, Lucknow. See how to download the scorecard & reported result dates for UP CNET, UPGET and CAHET.
Bihar Vigilance raids Rural Works Department engineer in disproportionate assets case
Vigilance tightens noose around engineer accused of amassing disproportionate assets, conducted simultaneous raids at engineers four locations at Chhapra, Patna, Katihar & Darjeeling.
Bihar Engineer Under Investigation for Alleged Disproportionate Assets
Bihars Executive Engineer faces scrutiny for holding assets 88% above his declared income, with searches revealing significant cash and property. Bihar Engineer Under Investigation for Alleged Disproportionate Assets
Tejashwi Yadav Demands Compensation and Jobs for Victims of Boat Tragedy in Bihar
Tejashwi Yadav calls for compensation and jobs for families affected by a tragic boat accident in Bihar, highlighting government negligence. Tejashwi Yadav Demands Compensation and Jobs for Victims of Boat Tragedy in Bihar
Bihar: Constable Killed, Police Attacked In Liquor Raids
A police constable was shot dead by suspected liquor smugglers in Nalanda district, Bihar, during a chase on Wednesday night. In a separate incident, five police personnel were injured in Bagaha when locals attacked them during an arrest related to a liquor supply case, freeing one suspect.
CAG likely to examine salary payments in govt departments
Architecture university to be set up Muzaffarpur: CM
Kathak, classical music lend cultural touch to Durga Puja
PUTA polls on Nov 4 after three-year gap
Tejashwi faces protests during Raghopur visit after boat tragedy
CPI, BJP and Jan Suraaj in triangular fight for Tirhut seat
Govt plans 10 cultural programmes to promote local artists
Sudha Sakhis to bring veterinary support closer to Bihar villages
Girls last rites performed at relatives doorstep in Gopalganj
Rs 5L cash, jewellery seized in raids on RWD engineers premises
Cyberfraud gang busted in Patna, 10 arrested
Woman plants mango sapling over burial spot to conceal daughters body; police exhume remains
Govt urges women farmers to become entrepreneurs
STF DG slaps Rs 5cr defamation notice on RJD MP
Speaker backs proposal to open IGIMS satellite centre in Gaya
School clerk suspended over Rs 76L unauthorised withdrawal
Woman wins Rs 7 lakh insurance claim after decade-long wait
Tejashwi Yadav Criticizes Bihar Government Over Rising Crime and Corruption
Tejashwi Yadav condemns Bihars deteriorating law and order, highlighting crime and unemployment issues in a recent media briefing. Tejashwi Yadav Criticizes Bihar Government Over Rising Crime and Corruption
Viral Video : A Hindu Son Thanks Lord Shiva for Curing His Mum by Running Across India
When his mother was battling a serious illness, Monu Meturbala made a promise to Lord Shiva if she recovered, he would run across India to visit all 12 Jyotirlingas. His mother recovered, and the 19-year-old from Bihar began his extraordinary journey on foot. Running nearly 50 km every day, he has already covered around 8,000 km and visited five Jyotirlingas.
Bihar Police Constable Shot Dead By Suspected Liquor Smugglers In Nalanda
A police constable was allegedly shot dead by suspected liquor smugglers in Nalanda district of dry Bihar, an official said on Thursday. The incident took place near a flyover in Pawapuri-Giriyak area on Wednesday night when an Excise Department team, of
To Get Land For Lover, Man Smashes Father's Head With Stone In Bihar
Weather Tomorrow: On October 16, the India Meteorological Department has announced a weather alert affecting several states across India. While Delhi and Haryana are likely to enjoy warm and dry spells, residents of Himachal Pradesh should prepare for light rain showers. In Bihar, temperatures could soar to around 34C under mostly sunny skies. Additionally, Uttarakhand is under thunderstorm warnings with the possibility of isolated rainfall, so stay updated with local forecasts.
FAI seeks revocation of ban on sales of non-subsidised fertilisers in UP, Maharashtra, Bihar
The industry body has also said that restricting access to these products in current Rabi season, could affect farmers who rely on specialised nutrition solutions for crop- and soil-specific requirements
Retired customs officer shot dead outside house in Bhojpur
Cyber Fraud: Graphic Designer Held For Rs 150 Crore Scam
A graphic designer, Pankaj Gupta, was arrested by Mumbai Crime Branch for creating malicious Android Package Kit (APK) files that enabled cyber fraudsters to cheat over 9,600 people of Rs 150 crore. Gupta, who previously escaped a digital arrest scam, developed APKs disguised as government services, selling them to cybercriminal networks in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Ex-customs official shot dead in Bihar's Bhojpur district
The incident took place around 7 a.m. near the eastern gate of Jain College in Arrah town when the masked gunmen fired at him, a senior officer said
Bihar Chief Minister Launches Rabi Mahaabhiyan to Boost Farmers Income Through Scientific Farming
Bihars CM Samrat Chaudhary initiates Rabi Mahaabhiyan to promote modern farming techniques and increase farmers income. Bihar Chief Minister Launches Rabi Mahaabhiyan to Boost Farmers Income Through Scientific Farming
Bihar man, Russian womans viral love story turns out fake - what really happened
A love story claiming a Russian woman traveled to Bihar to marry a local man has been debunked. The video featured a British NGO representative, Andrea Connolly, visiting for social initiatives in Purnia. The man in the footage, Namit, was misidentified as Rahul from Bhagalpur, where the love story originated. Local organizations are considering legal action against misinformation and media outlets for lack of verification.
Constable Dies In Bihar Liquor Smuggling Encounter
A police constable, Ajit Kumar, was shot dead by liquor smugglers in Nalanda district of Bihar on Wednesday night during a chase. He was part of an Excise Department team attempting to intercept a liquor-laden truck. Kumar succumbed to his injuries in Patna, and a manhunt has been launched for the culprits.
Bihar: Retired Customs officer shot dead in Bhojpur, one detained; police probe underway
A retired Customs officer, Ramkumar Singh, who was also associated with the Kshatriya Kalyan Sangathan, was shot dead by armed assailants in Bihar's Bhojpur district on Thursday, police said, adding that one person has been detained in connection with the case. Bhojpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Avdhesh Dixit said multiple teams had been formed to investigate the murder, and raids were underway to apprehend the other accused. Ramkumar Singh was shot dead. I have formed a team, met with the bereaved family, and also seen the body. Multiple teams are looking into different aspects of the murder. We have detained one person accused by the family. We will solve the case and make arrests at the earliest. Raids are underway to nab the others, Dixit told reporters. The SP also said that allegations of police negligence raised by the victim's family would be investigated. The family has alleged that it had repeatedly sought police protection, but no action was taken. If these allegations...
Digital Desk | Patna, Oct 15 (IANS) The broad-daylight murder of Ramkumar Singh, a retired Customs officer and state president of the Kshatriya Kalyan Sangathan, has triggered public outrage in Ara, Bhojpur district, with the family alleging that a long-standing land dispute could have led to the attack. Singh was shot dead on Thursday in the Kanakpuri locality near Jain College, under the Nawada police station limits. Following the incident, a large number of local residents gathered at the scene and staged a protest, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants. The victims wife, Sushila Devi, has alleged that a long-standing dispute over a 14-kattha plot of land led to her husbands murder. She has also raised allegations against officials over the handling of the dispute and the land records. Singh was out walking with his son when motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on him. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed at the scene. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting. Reports differ on the number of bullets that struck him, with the latest account stating that he sustained seven gunshot wounds. Sushila Devi alleged that the family had been embroiled in a dispute over a 14-kattha plot of land for a long time. She claimed that after the lands boundary wall was demolished, the family began receiving repeated threats. She further alleged that when the family approached the Mufassil police station to lodge a written complaint, the then-SHO, Ram Kalyan Yadav, refused to accept it. The victims wife also accused Ankita Singh, the Circle Officer of RK Anchal, of manipulating land records and facilitating the preparation of forged documents in exchange for money. She claimed that the dispute ultimately led to her husbands killing. These allegations have not yet been independently established. Bhojpur Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Dixit reached the spot after receiving information about the murder and reviewed the situation. The SP said the family had identified the land dispute as a possible motive for the killing. He added that police were investigating all aspects of the case. Responding to questions about the alleged refusal to accept the familys complaint, Dixit said further action would depend on the formal complaint submitted by the family and the findings of the investigation. He also assured that the police would work to identify and arrest the perpetrators soon. The police are now investigating the murder while examining the alleged land dispute and the claims made against officials. The case has intensified public anger, with residents demanding accountability and swift action against those responsible. The motive behind the killing, the identity of the assailants and the allegations concerning the land records remain subjects of investigation.
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) The BJP and JD(U) on Thursday criticised Rahul Gandhi over the alleged sexual harassment allegations against Congress MP and sacked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Professor, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, accusing the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, of maintaining double standards on women's rights. Speaking to IANS, Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav alleged, This reflects the mindset of the Congress party. This is not the first time the professor has allegedly engaged in such misconduct. He has behaved inappropriately with several girls and female students, and people may be aware of his conduct, but the Congress party protects such people. It is unfortunate. Such people bring shame to society. BJP Bihar President Sanjay Saraogi also accused LoP Gandhi of double standards, saying that while he speaks about women's rights, he has not spoken out against his party's MP, who has been accused of sexually harassing female students. Delhi Police summoning Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam following serious sexual harassment allegations by 11 female students is proof of the impartiality of the law, Saraogi said. JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan described the allegations as disturbing and said a teacher's alleged behaviour towards female students was shameful and unacceptable in a civilised society. From a public perception perspective, the Congress should have intervened and taken action in this matter, as the professor is also a party MP. However, the Congress' silence so far is surprising, he said. Meanwhile, Delhi Police summoned Akoijam for questioning on Thursday in connection with the sexual harassment allegations relating to his tenure at JNU. Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on October 11 based on a complaint filed by JNU's Chief Security Officer. According to officials, the FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj North Police Station under Sections 75, 75(1)(i), 75(1)(iv) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Akoijam, who was dismissed from his position as a JNU professor, has been named in the FIR. Officials said the police are investigating the matter. According to media reports, at least 11 female students lodged sexual harassment complaints against Akoijam in May. The complaints alleged that he had invited students to his campus residence under the pretext of meetings or gatherings and had attempted to sexually harass them. The allegations are under investigation, and the police are questioning the MP as part of the ongoing probe. However, Akoijam who is an Inner Manipur MP, has asserted that the sexual harassment allegations against him levelled by JNUs women students are linked to his criticism of the handling of the ethnic conflict in the state.
Former Customs Official Shot Dead Amid Land Dispute in Ara, Bihar
A former customs officer was shot dead in Ara, Bihar, with officials citing a land dispute as the primary motive behind the attack. Former Customs Official Shot Dead Amid Land Dispute in Ara, Bihar
Bihar BTSC FSO Recruitment 2026 Notification Out - Apply Online for 105 Food Safety Officer Posts
Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC) has released the official notification for the recruitment of 105 Food Safety Officer posts. The online application process will begin on 25 September 2026, and the last date to apply is 24 October 2026. Candidates must be 21 to 37 years old to be eligible for this recruitment.
Retired Customs officer shot dead in Bihar's Ara; police launch probe
Digital Desk | Patna, Oct 15 (IANS) Armed assailants shot dead Ram Kumar Singh, a 71-year-old retired Assistant Commissioner of the Customs Department, in Ara in Bihar's Bhojpur district, on Thursday. The incident took place in the Kanakpuri locality near the eastern gate of Jain College, under the jurisdiction of Nawada police station. According to an official, Singh was shot at close range and sustained multiple bullet injuries. He was rushed to Ara Sadar Hospital with the help of local residents, but succumbed on the way. The shooting triggered panic in the neighbourhood, with residents expressing anger and concern over the law-and-order situation. Singh was preparing to leave for his daily morning walk when the attack occurred. He had brought his motorcycle out of his house and was locking the gate when the armed assailants arrived and opened fire. Eyewitness accounts cited in reports indicate that he was hit by eight bullets. He collapsed at the spot after sustaining critical injuries. Singh was originally from Lahang Dumariya village under Bihiya police station in Bhojpur district. His father was identified as the late Harvansh Singh. At the time of the incident, he was living at his residence in Kanakpuri, Ara. After receiving information about the shooting, Sadar SDPO-1 Sushil Kumar, Nawada SHO Kumar Rajnikant and a team from the District Intelligence Unit (DIU) reached the spot and began investigating the case. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to examine the scene and collect evidence. Investigators are working to establish the motive behind the murder and identify those responsible. As of the latest available information, police had not publicly established the motive or identified the suspects. Singh served as the state president of the Shahabad Kshatriya Mahasabha. He was also a trustee of the Ara Nagar Ramlila Samiti Trust and an executive member of the Sanatani Ganga Foundation in Bhojpur. In addition, he was associated with the Red Cross Society and the Rotary Club. After retiring from government service, he remained active in social and community work. News of his killing has shocked his associates and local residents. Following the incident, residents expressed outrage and questioned the security situation in the area, particularly because the attack took place near Singhs home in the morning. They demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible. Police are continuing their investigation, and further details are awaited as officials examine the evidence and pursue leads.
Retired Customs official shot dead during morning walk in Bihar
Northern Railway Announces Eight Festival Special Train Services Connecting Jammu, Katra
SRINAGAR: Northern Railway has announced eight festival special train services linking Jammu Division with major destinations, including New Delhi, Varanasi and Chhapra in Bihar, to accommodate increased passenger demand during the festive season. According to railway officials, the services will operate on specified dates in October and November, with some extending into December. The additional []
Former Customs Official Shot Dead in Bihars Ara
A retired customs official was shot dead in Ara, Bihar, with family members alleging involvement of land mafias in the attack. Former Customs Official Shot Dead in Bihars Ara
BJP will contest next polls in J&K with full strength: Satish Poonia
Jammu, Oct 14:BJP national general Secretary, newly appointed in-charge J&K affairs (Prabhari) and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Satish Poonia on Wednesday asserted that the party would contest next polls in Jammu and Kashmir with full strength. Pointing out that the party had gained a comfortable ground on ideological front even in Kashmir, he said that Jammu and Kashmir occupied a special place in the national consciousness. Poonia was on its maiden visit to J&K after his appointment as the new in-charge J&K Affairs. While speaking to media persons and earlier addressing the party leaders, he emphasised that the BJPs historic commitment to national integration, development and public service continued to shape the regions future. He alleged that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was using social media to spread fake narrative. Addressing an organisational meeting at the BJP headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, he called upon party leaders to strengthen their public outreach and capitalize on the changing political atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir. BJP J&K president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma; Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh; Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma; Rajya Sabha MP Gulam Ali Khatana; former Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and former J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina also addressed the meeting. State office bearers, District Prabharis and Seh-Prabharis, District Presidents, spokespersons, Morcha Presidents and other senior leaders attended. Dr Satish Poonia recalled the supreme sacrifice of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on the soil of Jammu and Kashmir for the complete integration of the region with the rest of India. He said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation for accelerated development by expanding road connectivity and taking infrastructure to remote areas, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried this legacy forward on an unprecedented scale. Describing the BJP as a party with a distinct ideological commitment, Poonia emphasised that its strength lies in connecting people through service, trust and inclusive development. He also recalled his long association with Jammu and Kashmir, including his participation in the Doda Bachao Andolan and movements associated with Lal Chowk, Srinagar. In his presidential address, Sat Sharma welcomed Dr Poonia as the new J&K Prabhari and recalled his earlier association with the region through ABVP activities. He presented a detailed account of the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, being organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modis 25-year journey in public service as Gujarat Chief Minister and Prime Minister. Sat Sharma highlighted initiatives including Aashirvaad Ka Diya, Seva Ke Rang, Seva Setu Abhiyan, Mere Sapno Ka Bharat and Seva Jyoti Yatra, stating that the campaign had reached a large number of booths across Jammu and Kashmir. He said the BJP was simultaneously taking the Modi government's development achievements to the people and countering what he described as misleading propaganda by the INDI alliance. He asserted that the Congress's negative politics had weakened its political standing and urged party leaders to develop strong ideological clarity and effectively communicate the BJP's vision. Dr Jitendra Singh described Jammu and Kashmir as a politically sensitive and strategically important region, where organizational responsibilities are entrusted to experienced leaders after careful consideration. He observed that the socio-political atmosphere, particularly in Kashmir, had undergone a significant transformation and urged the party cadre to recognize and seize the emerging opportunity. People are ready to embrace the BJP, we must be prepared to embrace this opportunity, he emphasised. Sunil Sharma highlighted the growth of the BJP's organisational presence and public support, citing the strong participation in the party's September 2, 2026, protest in Kashmir as an indication of changing public sentiment. He said people were increasingly rejecting the politics of the National Conference and Congress. Dr Nirmal Singh expressed confidence that Poonia's extensive organizational experience would strengthen the party in Jammu and Kashmir. Gulam Ali Khatana stressed that every political development in J&K attracted national attention and urged the cadre to consolidate public trust through development-oriented politics. Ravinder Raina recalled Poonia's earlier organizational contributions and his role in crucial political duties. J&K BJP general secretary Gopal Mahajan conducted the proceedings, while general secretary Sanjita Dogra presented the vote of thanks.
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